Process of producing multicolor prints



Feb. 27, 1923. lA/Sj H. Koi-1L PROCSS OF PRODUCING MULTICOLOR PRINTS Filed Feb. le, 1921" 2 sheets-sheet l Rab. 27, 1323. 1,446,754

H. KOHL PROCESS OF PRODUCING MULTICOLOR PRINTS Filed Feb. 16, 1921- 2 sheets-sheet 2 UNITED STATES 1,446,754 PATENT oFFiCE.

HENRY KOHL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

` PROCESS 0F APRODUCIN'G.- MULTICOLOR PRINTS.

Application-filed February 16, 1921. Serial No. 445,328.

T o all w hom 'it may conce/Wa Be it known that I, HENRY Kom., a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Processes of Producing Multicolor Prints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to processes of producing the various -colorprinting plates necessary for the production of multicolored prints in general, and in particular, to the coloring of monochrome pictures, illustrations and reproductions, and processes for the production of the colorprinting plates, for their reproduction in the shape of multicolor prints, and has for its object to render such processes more expeditious, less expensive and less troublesome than heretofore.

The colorprinting plates required for the production of multi-colorprints have hitherto been obtained by the work of the lithographic artist and of the color-process photographer, using a finished colored picture as a sketch or original for the basis of their work.

The invention consists in lthe improvements in the process of producing multicolor prints hereinafter descilibed and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings Jforming a part of this speoication,-

Figure 1 shows the face or printed side of a sheet constituting a monochrome print.

Figure 2 shows a transparent film having a color component, superimposed on the monochrome print of Figure l.

Figure 3 shows the transparent film separated from the monochrome print, its face side being outward. f

Figure 4 shows the 'transparent lni as it appears when placed face inward on a?. white background, and provided on its back with additional coloring.

Figure 5 shows a transparent film having. a corrective or partial color component, for the correction ofa multi-color print, or for the illumination of a monochrome, or for the production of aduograph. v v Figure 6 ,is an ed e view of the print and film assembled as s own by Figure 2.

I employ as a basis a monochrome, A, containing the various shades or tones of the subject in greys or browns, or whatever tone the subject calls for, and in such manner as to give satisfactory rendition of its shape and modulation. Such monochromes,

ultimately to become multi-color prints, are v frequently directly available as photographs, photoprocess and other prints and drawings, in many scientific, commercial and art subjects. I-cover such monochrome A temporarily with a. transparent film B, capable of receiving. coloring on one or both if its surfaces, and produce on this film all shades and tints of coloring, that the subject in hand calls for, exactly as if coloring the monochrome on its own surface. When the coloring is completed upon this.film,.and whenever necessary, the usual register marks on the monochrome have also been entered on the film, I remove the film B from the underlying monochrome A, and have now the color component of the picture completely isolated from the monochrome part, as shown by Fig. 3. Placing this color componentV against a suitable background, I obtain my color-printing plates in the usual manner biy photographic color selection negatives. The final color-printing plates are made from these in the usual way. Printing these cololi-printing plates in conjunction with prints from a printing plate made from the monochrome, produces the final finished multicolor prints.

l When reproducing a painting or other colored subject, a photograph or photoprocess print of desired size and correct monochromel values is first obtained, and is then, covered with a plain or uncolored transparent film and all tints and shades of color of the original are entered 'upon the film. The subsequent procedure is as above indicated. Regarding the application of coloring, it may be mentioned that often good results are quickly obtained by applying coloring to both sides of the film. After finishing the coloring in its detail, as above described, on one side, the film B may be removed and laid reverse side up upon awhite surface. General tinting, sky, background tones, etc., can then be applied by air-brush or other means to the reverse side of the film.

Figure 4 shows the film treated as last dechrome part of a subject are at hand, a print of proper values may be made directly upon the reverse side of the film. The film is then placed upon a white background, and the coloring executed upon the obverse side. When finished, the monochrome print on t e reverse side is removed by a proper solvent. If desirable, additional coloring can now be applied to the reverse. The transparent film having a monochrome print wouldpresent the same appearance, excepting as to its material, as monochrome print A, and the film, 'after the removal of' the monochrome print, andthe application of additional color in lace of the print, would appear as shown y Figure 4. A print made on paper, instead of on the film would appear reversed as to right and left, as compared with Figure 1. When making negatives and printin plates from a color component obtained t is way, proper care must be taken to obtain correct position as to ri ht and left.

W ere a multi-color print produced by any process requires for satisfactory completion an` additional color-printing or printings to emphasize or change its tones, I cover such multi-color print with a transparent film B2 and applythereto the color tones and shades required, just as if making these corrections on the surface of the multi-color print itself. When completed, l remove the film, carrying now the /color tones for the desired improved effect in the shape of a corrective or partial color component which may appear as shown by F ig.

. 5, and. produce from the same photo-process negative or negatives and photo-mechanical printing plate or plates, as the case may be,

and print the same in conjunction with the,

other printing plates of the multi-color print, or over the multi-color print.

Where a monochrome picture or print is to be made more effective by the addition of another printing or printings, l proceed as in the case just descrlbed, producing on one or both sides of the superimposed film the desired effects. When separated, the trans: parent film carries a color component representing these effects, free from undesirable repetitions of the monochrome design and only on the parts wanted (see Fig. 5.) From such color component l obtain, as the case may be, the photo-process negative or negatives and the photo-mechanical printing plate or plates to be printed in conjunction with a printing plate of the monochrome picture or print.

The monochrome picture A may be of any description, or made by any process.

The film I employ at resent, is Celluloid of suitable weight and c earness, treated on both sides with a transparent coating of gelatinous, albuminous, starchy or gummy substances, or a mixture of the same, capable of receiving and holding the coloring. Other carriers and substances are also more or less suitable, but the above possesses greatest' clearness and retention of size. It j may be remarked, that in proving Iand in the edition, it is desirable to print generally the monochrome part of the subject" first, and this and the color-printing plates may be printed in any process, assuring register, but it is not necessary to employ the same process for both. When possible, a final monochrome print, made on paper used for the edition, may be em loyed when making the color component. here the color component has beenf-made over a monochrome of different size from the one finally desired,

the color selection negatives are madevto register to the size of the final monochrome print. Printing generally the monochrome part of. the reproduction first, has the advantage, that register and strength ,of the color-printing plates can be easily seen and controlled, that the colors printed. over the I monochrome produce great transparency and depth, and a wide range of shades of color, and surprisingly true and artistic rerange and better eect of coloring, than can y be produced by the lithographie process in the same number of print-ings, and that thev work of drawing the colors is avoided.

Compared with three and four color photo-engraving, the difficulties of obtaining satisfactory results are greatly reduced. In my process, the production of the monochrome foundation negative and print oHer no,more difiiculty than the regular photographic copy or wash drawings, as color screens are not used. rlhe color component, being minus the monochrome part of the picture, shows no great contrast, and consequently, direct process color-selection negatives are easily made, resulting in the saving of two operations over the indirect process frequently employed. The color component carried on a transparent film, and the coloring executed in transparent colors, canbe equally well photographed from either side, the use of a prism for obtaining correct position as to right and left is avoided, and better color-selection negatives are more easily obtained.

In the printing of the edition of such three or four color-processes, where the monochrome, as Well as the color values of the picture are obtained by the successive printing of the three or four color-printing plates, it -is not only absolutely necessary that these register perfectly, in order to produce clearness and sharpness of the detail of the picture, but the neutral tones must be perfectly balanced in the three or four color-printing plates, in order to appear as neutral tones,both requirements being difficult of accomplishment.

In my process, clearness andsharpness of the detail of the picture are obtained in one printing, i. e., the printing of the monochrome part and so are the neutral ton s, and they only need to be brought to the correct color tone by tints of color contained upon the printing plates made from the color component of the picture. These color-printing plates, representing the coloring of the pcture more in the shape of broader Washes, do not contain a` constant repetition of the minutest detail of the picture, as is the case in the three or four color-processes referred to, and consequently do not require such absolute register for their successful printing.

I claim:

1. That improvement in the process of producing multi-color prints, Which consists in associating a transparent film With a monochrome picture, coloring the film to produce a color component of the picture, and producing photo-mechanical printing plates from the co-lor component.

2. That improvement in the process of producing multi-color prints, Which consists in associa-ting a transparent film with a monochrome picture, coloring the filml to producel a color componentV ofthe picture, and producing photo-mechanical printing plates from the monochrome picture and the color component.

3. That improvement in the rocess of producing multi-color prints, W ich consists in associating a transparent film with a monochrome picture, coloring the film to.

produce a color component of the picture, making photographic color selection negatives from the color component, .and making photo-mechanical printing plates from said negatives.

4. That improvement in the process of producing multi-color prints, Which consists in associating a transparent film with a monochrome picture, coloring the film to produce a color component of the picture, making photographic color selection negatives from the color component, making photo-mechanical printing plates from said negatives, and

making a'photo--mechanical printing plate from said vmonochrome picture.

That improvement in the process of producing mlulti-color prints, which consists in super-imposing a transparent film on a monochrome picture, coloring the film to impart to the picture, when the latter is viewed through the film, a color component of the picture, and producing photo-mechanical printing plates from the color component after its removal from the picture.

6. That improvement in the process of producing multi-color prints, ,lwhicli consists in superimposing a transparent film on a monochrome picture, coloring the film to impart to the picture, when the latter is viewed through the film, a color component of the picture, producing photo-mechanical printing plates from the color component after its removal from the picture, and producing from the monochrome picture another photo-mechanical printing plate.

7. The process of producing multi-color prints substantially as specified by claim l, said process including the coloring of the film on both sides to produce said color component.

8. That improvement in the process of producing multi-color prints, Wfh'ichi consists in superimposing on .a monochrome print a transparent film, coloring the outer side of said film to produce a partial color component ofsaid picture, removing the film from the monochrome, coloring the reverse side of the film to complete the color component,4 photographing the color component lfrom either side of the film, thus ob- Y taining, Without the employment of a prism,

correct position as to right and left on color-printing plates, according to the requirements of the process employed for the print- 'ingof the monochrome and color parts of ture, designed to perfect the latter, making from said color component, after its'removal from the :p1cture, a photo-process negative, and maklng a photo-mechanical printing plate from s aid negative. v

10. That lmprovement in the process of producing multicolor prints, which consists in associating a transparent film with a monochrome picture, coloring said film on one or both sides, to produce the effect of a color added to the monochrome; separating the film from the monochrome, and making photo-process negatives and photo-mechanical printing plates from the color component designed to add a color-printingy to the monochrome.

In testimony whereof I have aixed my signature.

' HENRY KOHL. 

